The present invention is directed toward a chaotic motion generator and more particularly toward a chaotic motion generator which is useful as a teaching aid particularly in the areas of physics and physical chemistry.
Chaotic motion of easily visible objects has long been recognized as a useful model for a wide variety of molecular phenomena. For example, phase changes, diffusion and laws relating temperature, pressure and density of a sample of gas are commonly introduced side by side with their large scale analogs. Also statistical concepts such as binomial, Poisson and Maxwell distributions, average collision frequency and mean free path are commonly developed with the aid of apparatus that produce visible chaotic motion. Depending on the adequacy of the apparatus and the academic level of the students, the physical model may be viewed quantitatively or strictly qualitatively.
Various devices ranging from an aquarium partially filled with Styrofoam spheres that is agitated by hand to an air table equipped with a vibrating perimeter have been used to illustrate chaotic motion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,881 also proposes a device for allegedly demonstrating random molecular motion. This device is comprised of a clear transparent housing filled with a plurality of spheres and placed on top of a Van de Graaff static electricity generator.
These prior art devices have not, however, been totally satisfactory. The motion generated within the devices has not always been random but has normally included numerous observable oscillations. In addition, the speed of the various particles could not always be easily adjusted or, if adjustable, was only adjustable over a very limited range. Even further, particularly with the devices shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,881, the particles often move too rapidly to permit many quantitative experiments. These prior devices suffered from numerous other problems and deficiencies making them only partially acceptable as teaching aids.